Time Portal Situation
by QuickStrike15
Summary: The future is about to collapse, and Depth Charge has to save it. But Rampage attacks, and he's seething! Fifth in the series.


Time Portal Situation  
  
WRITTEN BY  
QuickStrike15  
(TieanBrice@aol.com)  
  
Depth Charge steps through a warp tunnel.  
DEPTH CHARGE: "A volcano? I don't like this one." He steps forward, and stops. "Gotta watch my feet, or I'll be swimming in lava." He hops from rock to rock, until he gets beyond a cave wall, and finally sees something he remembers. "It's...the Ark! I made it...I'm home!" Depth Charge activates his rockets, and flies around to the front of the Ark. "Now, to find the Maximal Base. I made it! Beast Mode." He transforms, and flies around the volcano, looking for the base. He finds nothing. "Okay, this is weird. The base should be right around here somewhere, I should at least see something by now. I haven't been gone that long." He continues to fly, but finds nothing. "Hey! Primal! Rhinox! Rodent! It's me, Depth Charge! I made it back!" He finds no response. "This stinks! Nobody's around. Maybe I should just wait inside the Ark, and they'll find me." He zooms back to the Ark, in front of the doors. He transforms, and lands. He walks forward, nothing happens. "What's this?" He goes up to the doors, and gets forced back by the defenses. "Hey, what are you doing, Teletran 1? It's me! Have the Maximals already deleted my access code? Impossible, they wouldn't do that. What is going on?" Depth Charge opens his audio sensors, and hears rocks being moved. "Someone's coming. Let's see who. Beast Mode." He transforms to Beast mode, and flies behind a cave wall, waiting for who's behind the shifting rocks. Two missiles are fired, and the rocks break down, creating an opening. "Who is it?" Soon, he notices Blackarachnia and Silverbolt traveling into the volcano. "Birddog and Legs? But Blackarachnia is still in her original Pred form. Just as I suspected, I'm not home. This is another moment from the past. But which one?"  
SILVERBOLT: "By the Matrix! What is it?"  
BLACKARACHNIA: "That, Bowser-boy, is the Ark!" Silverbolt carries Blackarachnia across the lava to the Ark's doors.  
SILVERBOLT: "I've heard only legends."  
BLACKARACHNIA: "Oh, it's no legend, Jojo. Eons before Maximals and Predacons even existed, your ancestors, the Autobots launched this ark containing their finest heroes. It was attacked by Decepticons, and crashed here, on Earth." The volcano shakes.  
SILVERBOLT: "This area appears geologically unstable."  
BLACKARACHNIA: "Hello? It's a volcano, Bone-brain. When it explodes in 1984, our ancestors inside the ship will awaken, and start the Great War."  
SILVERBOLT: "This is why Optimus was worried! Oh, its power must be immense!"  
BLACKARACHNIA: "Oh, yeah, and it's all mine!" A blast hits the ground, and Silverbolt is sprawled into Teletran 1's defenses. He is fried, and knocked back. Blackarachnia spots Megatron, as he blasts the rocks above the entrance, sealing it shut. Some of the rocks above Depth Charge come loose.  
DEPTH CHARGE: "What? No!" A boulder slams Depth Charge between his fins, pinning him to the ground. "No! Not again! I'm beginning to take this whole helplessness thing personally!" Megatron lands in front of the Ark. He goes up to it, and touches it.  
MEGATRON: "Ah, Teletran 1 is still operating."  
BLACKARACHNIA: "Shame. Don't you have the access codes from the disk?"  
MEGATRON: "The disk was destroyed. But you have the codes, don't you? Yes!" He picks her up. "You downloaded them from my backup data tracks, before you destroyed them." Blackarachnia shoves him off.  
BLACKARACHNIA: "Well, what if I did? They're mine now, Grapeface!" He drops her onto the ground by Silverbolt. He hovers down. "So what are you gonna do, shoot me?! You still don't have the codes!"  
MEGATRON: "Oh, I was never planning on shooting you, no. I had a much more...effective target in mind." He aims his primary weapon Silverbolt. "The codes, Blackarachnia. Produce them at once." He waits for her decision. "Well?"  
BLACKARACHNIA: "Well what? Shoot him if you want, he means nothing to me." Megatron stamps on Silverbolt's chest. "Of course, it's a waste of ammo."  
MEGATRON: "Of course." There is rumbling from the outside.  
OPTIMUS: "Keep digging! We're almost there!"  
BLACKARACHNIA: "Uh, sounds like the Maximals have arrived. You'd better get out of here."  
MEGATRON: "Perhaps. But first I think I'll vaporize a possible menace!" He slaps Silverbolt with his arm, then charges it.  
BLACKARACHNIA: "Wait! I'll do it." More rocks rumble.  
OPTIMUS: "Almost there!"  
BLACKARACHNIA: "But only because we have to get to cover anyway! Stand aside!" She shoves Megatron out of her way. He smiles. "Computer! Decrypt and transmit access code, now!"  
TELETRAN 1: "Acknowledged." She copies the code from her optic sensors into Teletran 1.  
MEGATRON: "Is it working?"  
BLACKARACHNIA: "It better!" The computer accepts her, deactivate shields, and open the doors. The Maximals power their way into the volcano, as Blackarachnia and Megatron enter the Ark.  
OPTIMUS: "By Primus, no!"  
DEPTH CHARGE: "No! I was hoping for an opportunity to strike, but with Blackarachnia's possession of the codes, and Megatron's brute strength, I couldn't have won that one. And now everyone's gonna suffer for it! He'll eliminate all Maximals, and that means me, despite the time warp! Great!"  
CHEETOR: "Whoa! The Ark!" The Ark's defenses kick up.  
RATTRAP: "Oh, brother! We're in for it now!"  
OPTIMUS: "We have to get Megatron out of there! Everything that is, the existence of the entire Universe depends on it!"  
CHEETOR: "You got it, Big Bot!" Everyone heads for the Ark. Cheetor flies, Rhinox leaps from rock to rock across the lava, and Optimus flies with Rattrap. They soon reach the Ark, and begin firing. Their shots are absorbed.  
RATTRAP: "Oh, man! That ship wasn't built, it was poured!"  
OPTIMUS: "Die-cast construction...it's a lost art." They come under heavier fire.  
DEPTH CHARGE: "Can't move! And even if I could, I'll bet my calibration systems are busted. Why can't I do anything?!" A portal opens, and Depth Charge is thrown into it.  
  
***  
  
Depth Charge is transported into the Ark.  
DEPTH CHARGE: "What? I'm inside the Ark!" He finds the offlined Autobots and Decepticons nearby. "I must be here to defend history." He tries to fly, and fails. "But I'm still out of commission, of course." He hears the doors open, and watches as Megatron enters the room. "Megatron! I can't let him do what I know he's gonna do!" Megatron slowly approaches his victim.  
MEGATRON: "Ah, now I enter these hallowed halls, a conqueror, yes." He activates his rockets, and hovers above the ground. "Autobots and Decepticons, still frozen in emergency stasis, awaiting the moment 4 million years hence, when they will awaken to start the Great War. Hmm, the Great War, when the Autobots defeated the Decepticons, and thus their decendents, the Maximals rule we Predacons. Archaic Energon guzzlers, how dare they! Unwilling those I was to follow my namesake's instructions, it has all come down to this! The ultimate risk, for the ultimate prize!" He flies up to Optimus Prime's face. "A day of reckoning, with those who made us slaves!"  
DEPTH CHARGE: "Don't do it, Megatron. Fight on your own terms, don't try to change what's already become. Don't destroy the past for your own sick future! Rrr, I wish I could move!"  
MEGATRON: "So, we are now face to face, Optimus Prime! In one future, you awaken and become the great leader of the Autobots. But time shall take a different track now. Computer, all available power to primary weapon!"  
COMPUTER: "Wepaon power to maximum."  
DEPTH CHARGE: "I don't care what I have to do, I'll stop you, Megatron!" He squints desperately in pain, as he fires up his rockets. Finally, they activate. "Yes! Depth Charge, Maximize!" He transforms, and draws his twin missile launcher. "No, Megatron, this time, you won't succeed!"  
COMPUTER: "Danger! Extended battle forced on systems will result in Stasis Lock!"  
DEPTH CHARGE: "Stow it, computer. I've got to do this, no matter what it costs!" He fires his rockets, and shoots toward Megatron from across the grand room.  
MEGATRON: "And now, Optimus Prime, in memory of the Decepticons, for the glory of the Predacons, for the Cybertron that is rightfully ours, and mine to rule! I unleash the storm of vengeance! Farewell!" He fires his blaster, and hits Optimus Prime's head dead center, sparking up a strange storm.  
DEPTH CHARGE: "What's this?" Depth Charge flies right into the storm, which deflects him, right back into the spot he came from.  
COMPUTER: "Power Cells at 20%. Any instability will result in drop of level."  
DEPTH CHARGE: "Slag, I can't move a circuit. This is it. You win, Rampage! Will all of my spark enraged, you win!" The storm builds in intensity, as Megatron laughs insanely.  
Rhinox struggles to get the doors open, but as he does, a horribly bright light shines through. Everyone shields their eyes. OPTIMUS: "No!" Everyone screams. "Time itself is all being destroyed!" Megatron goes over to them.  
MEGATRON: "Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Say good-bye to the Universe, Maximals! The future has changed, yes! The Autobots lose! Evil triumphs! And you, you no longer exist!"  
  
***  
  
Depth Charge thinks to himself.  
DEPTH CHARGE: "There has to be some way I can charge up to get out of here. Computer, is there any power left in my systems I can divert to movement?"  
COMPUTER: "Weapons power at 25%. Flight power at 15%. Mobility level must be above 50%."  
DEPTH CHARGE: "That should be enough. Power transfer, begin." The systems beep and whir, as his mobility levels rise.  
COMPUTER: "Power transfer complete."  
DEPTH CHARGE: "Ah, that feels better. Better convert to Beast mode to save power. Beast Mode!" He transforms. "Now, my flight power is at 9%. Hopefully, with a prayer to the Matrix, I'll make it outside the Ark before all Maximals are deleted from the stream of time." He takes off, and zooms right by the raging time storm.  
  
***  
  
Depth Charge rockets right over the huddled Maximals.  
DEPTH CHARGE: "I wish I could help them somehow, but with my flight systems just about to give way, and my mobility at a minimum, I don't know where I could come in handy." He heads back to the rock wall where he was pinned by the boulder, and transforms, planting his feet firmly on the rocks. "I feel so helpless! I wish there were something I could do! But every time I'm good for something, I get my systems battered!" Out of nowhere, a giant purple claw grabs his waist, and lifts him into the air.  
RAMPAGE: "That's right, because you're just so much fun to play with!"  
DEPTH CHARGE: "Not now, please, not now!"  
RAMPAGE: "You're not happy to see me, I presume. That's fine. I'll crush you anyway!"  
DEPTH CHARGE: "Not today, creep!" He kicks his foot backward, and hits Rampage in the face.  
RAMPAGE: "Aaah! My face!"  
DEPTH CHARGE: "That's not all that's gonna hurt!" Depth Charge tackles Rampage, grabbing two of his legs, and pulling them out of joint.  
RAMPAGE: "Stop it!" He flips over, and Depth Charge lands on his back.  
DEPTH CHARGE: "Getting...crushed!"  
RAMPAGE: "Ah-ha-ha-ha! Embrace the pain, let it consume your being!"  
DEPTH CHARGE: "That mind slag doesn't work on me, remember?!" He summons all of his strength, and throws Rampage off of him. He slowly rises to his feet.  
RAMPAGE: "Feeling a little weak, are we?"  
DEPTH CHARGE: "I wouldn't rely too much on my opponent's current condition. You never know what might happen during battle."  
RAMPAGE: "Oh, but I know what happens during my battles! My enemies are scrapped, and soon devoured!"  
DEPTH CHARGE: "You make me sick!"  
RAMPAGE: "You were an illness to begin with! One I have never truly been able to recover from! Rampage, Terrorize!" He transforms to robot mode, and draws his missile launcher. "And now, the vaccine!" Depth Charge stands there, appearing limp, catching his breath. "Oh, perhaps you are sick. How sad, you won't be as much fun to obliterate now. Oh, well!" He fires three missiles at Depth Charge. He ducks to the side, and they all hit a rock wall. Some of the stones come loose, and roll down toward Rampage. "No!" He replaces his missile launcher, and draws his twin laser rifles. He blasts every boulder that comes near him. "You tricky little fish!"  
DEPTH CHARGE: "This may sting a little!" He plows into Rampage, and sends him sinking into a pool of lava. "Hot enough for ya, X?!" The rocks below Depth Charge begin to quake. "Whoa! It's X! He's shaking me into the lava pit!" He struggles to run away from the lava pit, but the rocks keep slamming into him, and he staggers closer to the lava. "No! I can't fall in! If I'm gone, Rampage will never be stopped! I can't do that the friends I lost on Colony Omicron!" He punches the rocks that come his way, becoming weaker with each hook. "But how am I gonna stop him? He's in the lava, and I can't swim in to pull his sorry hide out! My only hope would be a missile, and my weapon power's down. Unless..." He cups his hands around his mouth, and yells. "I bet that shellfish out of water was too scared to shoot me, the wimp! He had to play on his terms instead of mine to win! So it looks like when I go, I'll be the true winner of the game!" Rampage leaps out of the lava pool, flames and magma dripping from his body.  
RAMPAGE: "I always win!" He goes to tackle Depth Charge from behind, but as he lunges, Depth Charge backflips into the air, hops off of Rampage's back, and from rock to rock, back to the Ark.  
DEPTH CHARGE: "I don't have time for you, Rampage! Not this time!" He runs toward the Ark. "I get it now. I know I have to play to win, but I have to realize what kind of game I'm playing. It's not tug-of-war with X, it's a team sport I'm playing. We have to win as a team, all us Maximals, or we'll cease to exist, thanks to Megatron. And part of the team spirit is never rolling over and playing dead, we have to try until we run out of tries. And we don't run out of tries until we're gone!" He shields his eyes as he gets deeper into the time storm. "Never know, this could be what takes me home!" He finds the Maximals nearby, as they try to stop Megatron from succeeding in his evil plan.  
MEGATRON: "Farewell, Maximals! With the destruction of Optimus Prime, the Decepticons and Predacons now take their righful places, as rulers of Cybertron! I, Megatron, have triumphed! Yes!"  
BLACKARACHNIA: "No! You forget, I was a Maximal protoform! Teletran 1, activate!" The defenses activate, and Megatron, who is standing right in the doorway, is electrocuted by the energy shield, and catapulted into a rock face a good distance away.  
SILVERBOLT: "Blackarachnia! Stay by me! Whatever this storm is, I will protect you!"  
BLACKARACHNIA: "Bowser-boy, you have no idea what you're dealing with! Just shut up, and come with me!"  
SILVERBOLT: "What are you doing?"  
BLACKARACHNIA: "It's not what I'm doing, it's what I'm undoing!" Silverbolt follows Blackarachnia.  
  
***  
  
They go into the room where Optimus Prime ails from Megatron's blast. Silverbolt flies Blackarachnia up to the console. She presses some buttons, and an Autobot medical defibrilator lowers. Silverbolt flies to it.  
BLACKARACHNIA: "Auxillary life support, on." She copies the code from her optic sensors into the computer. It activates, as Silverbolt plugs it into Optimus Prime.  
SILVERBOLT: "It's...done!" The time storm vanishes. "The...time storm. It seems to have stabilized somewhat."  
BLACKARACHNIA: "But Big Mac here's still fading!" She and Silverbolt begin to fade out. "Reality is still in flux!" The other Maximals enter the chamber.  
OPTIMUS: "Silverbolt, what--" He feasts his eyes on Megatron's handywork, and gasps. "Well, that's just prime."  
RATTRAP: "Or what's left of him, anyway." He gets smacked by Rhinox, as they fly over to Silverbolt and Blackarachnia.  
CHEETOR: "He's our ancestor, we've gotta get him repaired! Or we're goners." Rhinox hits some buttons.  
RHINOX: "We'll never make it. His spark is already joining the Matrix. With the repair trauma, we'll lose it for sure!"  
OPTIMUS: "Then we'll have to move it."  
RHINOX: "His spark can't exist outside a living body!"  
OPTIMUS: "I know." Optimus points to his spark.  
RATTRAP: "What are you, nuts? You can't hold two sparks in your body!"  
RHINOX: "This spark already the Matrix with it! It's too powerful!"  
OPTIMUS: "Like we have a choice?" He activates his rockets, and flies up to Optimus Prime's spark chamber, to open it. Through layer after layer of metal reinforcing, the delicate treasure is revealed. Optimus opens his own spark chamber, and takes hold of the Autobot spark casing, beginning the merging process. It begins painfully, and it becomes difficult to hold the spark casing in place. Optimus cries out, and the merge is complete. He drops the spark casing, and it cracks in two on the floor.  
RHINOX: "Quickly! Get that repair equipment online!" Blackarachnia copies code into the computer, and a hovering medical equipment ship comes out. It hovers over to Rhinox, and he hops on board. It reaches Optimus Prime, and encases his head in a repair module. Optimus cries out in pain. "Hurry!"  
BLACKARACHNIA: "This technology is 4 million years old! It takes time!"  
RATTRAP: "Time you don't have, she-spider!" He cocks his blaster. Silverbolt steps to him.  
SILVERBOLT: "You'll have to shoot through me, rodent!"  
RATTRAP: "Don't tempt me!"  
RHINOX: "Knock it off! We've got bigger problems." Optimus howls, as something strange happens.  
CHEETOR: "Big Bot, what's happening to you?" Optimus' frame begins to grow larger, and jut out, as he grunts in pain. Soon, it finally stops.  
RHINOX: "Circuit regeneration to maximum!" He uses all of his strength to press down a button.  
RATTRAP: "Gotta love these old machines. Crude, but the parts are cheap."  
CHEETOR: "Guys? Check out Big Bot!" Optimus steps forward.  
CHEETOR: "Big Bot...how do you feel?"  
OPTIMUS: "In a word...prime." Optimus emerges, taking a shape vastly similar to Optimus Prime, although there are differences.  
DEPTH CHARGE: "That's it, his optimal form! So I am making ground after all."  
MEGATRON: "But not for long, no!" Suddenly, the Maximals see a familiar face. Megatron returns, with Inferno. "This has been but a temporary delay." He motions to Inferno. "Open fire!" They both shoot at the Maximals. Optimus transforms to Beast Mode, shoots two shields from his shoulders, and defends them. Blackarachnia transforms to Beast mode, and crawls away. Optimus transforms back to robot mode, and targets Megatron with his chest cannon.  
OPTIMUS: "Not here! Do you understand? Take it outside!" He looks to Rhinox. "Rhinox, keep those repairs going!"  
MEGATRON: "Ah, I see we have a new Optimal Optimus to deal with. And carrying Prime's spark as well."  
OPTIMUS: "I said outside!"  
MEGATRON: "You wouldn't dare fire in here! It might upset history!"  
OPTIMUS: "We'd have 4 million years to clean you off the walls, Megatron. I might risk it." Inferno steps in.  
INFERNO: "I will protect you, Royalty!" He shields Megatron.  
MEGATRON: "No, Inferno! Not this time." He stares Optimus on the face. "This is not the end of it, Optimal Optimus, no. The Universe cowered once at the name of Megatron, and it shall do so again!"  
OPTIMUS: "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings, Megatron."  
MEGATRON: "Then they'd better stay out of my way!"  
RATTRAP: "Oh, for bootin' up cold, will you just shoot him?"  
OPTIMUS: "I'm trying not to resort to that."  
RATTRAP: "Then I will!" He aims his blaster.  
OPTIMUS: "No!" He knocks the blaster out of Rattrap's hand.  
MEGATRON: "Waspinator, cover fire, do it!" Waspinator stands outside the Ark, and fires twin missiles into large stalactites inside the volcano. They fall onto the Ark, causing debris to start falling on the Maximals. Optimus uses his shoulder shields, and guards everyone from the falling objects. Megatron transforms to Beast mode. "This place remains a target, Optimus! I will be back!" They fly off.  
OPTIMUS: "Our base! It's unguarded! Don't let him escape!"  
RHINOX: "You heard him! Move, move! I can handle this!"  
SILVERBOLT: "Blackarachnia!"  
RATTRAP: "Already gone, Bonehead! What's say we do the same?" Optimus transforms to flight mode, and everyone climbs on, as he rockets after Megatron.  
DEPTH CHARGE: "Guess I should get going, too. There's nothing left here for me to see." Depth Charge chases after the other Maximals. They are close behind, but Megatron once again blasts the cave opening shut as he escapes.  
RATTRAP: "Oh, man! I hate to say it, but we're trapped like rats!" Rocks begin to tumble onto the Maximals. Optimus transforms to robot mode, and shields them once again.  
DEPTH CHARGE: "This is not good!"  
OPTIMUS: "Stay close, Maximals. It's time to transform, and roll out!" Optimus transforms to tank mode, and powers through the rocks.  
MEGATRON: "Then or now, Blackarachnia, there will be no more betrayals!" He blasts her at full power.  
BLACKARACHNIA: "Aaaaah!"  
SILVERBOLT: "Blackarachnia?" Megatron takes off.  
CHEETOR: "They're headed for our base!"  
OPTIMUS: "Which means no time to lose! Cheetor, you're with me!" He transforms to flight mode, and shoots after the Predacon leader.  
CHEETOR: "Jumpin' gyros! Optimus sure learns a new body fast."  
RATTRAP: "Well, what do you expect? He changes them often enough. Now get moving!" Cheetor flies after Optimus, while Silverbolt rushes to Blackarachnia's side. Rattrap activates him Com-Link. "Yo, Big Green, hate to interrupt, but, uh, I think Birddog's got a situation here."  
SILVERBOLT: "Blackarachnia. Oh, dark poison of my heart, abide with me yet awhile."  
BLACKARACHNIA: "You've got a way with words, Rover. You almost make me wish I was a better girl."  
SILVERBOLT: "But you are. For at the last moment you made a stand against evil."  
BLACKARACHNIA: "I was saving my own shell."  
SILVERBOLT: "And with it, the Universe! And me. Understand this, like never before, my life, my heart are now yours."  
BLACKARACHNIA: "You really mean it, don't you?"  
SILVERBOLT: "With all my spark." Blackarachnia begins to spasm. "Blackarachnia, please, join me. In this last dark moment, say that you will be a Maximal!"  
BLACKARACHNIA: "For you, Rover, I join your side. But as a Predacon, good-bye." She goes offline.  
SILVERBOLT: "Blackarachnia. Nooooo!" He howls toward the sky in pain.  
RATTRAP: "Yeesh! Where's my cyber-violin?"  
RHINOX: "Very touching, Silverbolt, but she's just in Stasis Lock."  
RATTRAP: "Yeah. So, if you can stop crushing her to your manly torso plate for a while, what's say we start the repairs?!"  
SILVERBOLT: "Oh." He clears his throat. "Yes, very well."  
DEPTH CHARGE: "So, Blackarachnia was able to go good after all that she had done, and been made do. She did it for love. I knew she was in love with the fuzor, but I thought she joined the Maximals to win the war, like Dinobot originally did. Wow." A portal opens. "Ah, a time out. Now maybe I can rest up long enough to get some repairs in." He walks into it, and it closes. 


End file.
